Recently respectable bipolar transistors have been formed using a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) transistor in a typical CMOS process. These bipolar transistors are also referred to as lateral bipolar transistors and are reported to have a threshold frequency (Ft) as high as 3.7 Ghz and a Beta as high as 1000. This alternate method of forming a bipolar transistor has some strong advantages. The process is extremely simple compared to a typical BiCMOS process that uses complicated and expensive process flows costing 30-40% more than a typical CMOS flow. The use of a CMOS flow to create a lateral bipolar transistor adds negligible cost to a current CMOS process and provides a capable bipolar transistor.
The lateral bipolar transistor is fabricated using a typical lightly doped drain (LDD) MOS transistor. An NPN device is formed from an NMOS transistor and a PNP device is formed from a PMOS transistor. The base width of the lateral bipolar transistor is determined by and is usually equal to the MOS channel length. As MOS devices have shrunk the channel lengths have approached the base width of a bipolar making the lateral bipolar transistor possible.
In one variation a base implant is added to the process steps to balance the bipolar and MOS modes of operation. In addition the typical lateral bipolar transistor employs a base-gate contact for providing an electrical connection between the base and gate of the lateral bipolar transistors. Since the base is typically fabricated in the well, the gate depletes the base while the substrate contact controls the base voltage.
The inventors have discovered that the lateral bipolar transistors, fabricated according to the structures described above, have a reduction in gain at high currents or at high bias voltages. Thus, it would be desirable to have a CMOS-based bipolar transistor having improved bipolar performance during high current or high bias voltage conditions.